How do you tackle middle lane hoggers?

[Shay HTFC]

Coming back from football today and went on the motorway for probably the 3rd time or so since passing my test.
Lane discipline is so crap. Not sure if it's just around here (M3 nr. Southampton), but there were times when 5 cars in a row sat in the middle while the inside lane was free.

There comes the time when you are sort of boxed in. I hate just staying in the fast lane, so I will always stick to the left lane and actually use the other lanes for overtaking, rather than just normal riding.
But there then comes the times when you find your self trapped. Maybe it's just inexperience, but today I had the weird situation where I was in the slow lane and to my right was just a wall of cars doing 50mph. I couldn't go anywhere. I wanted to just undertake the lot of them, but an exit was coming up within the next half mile and I was worried about cars pulling into the inside lane without seeing my as I raced up on their inside.

What's the advice? Just stick in the outside lane and add to the problem, or what?

Infact, there was a stage when I overtook one of the middle laners and just motioned to him to move over. And he did
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[Ben.]

half lyfe says:
treat motorways like a slalom.

please note that they way i ride involves crashing a lot, i almost went head on into a bus today

seriously though... people who sit at 80 in the outside lane piss me off, just do 3mph less and sit in the middle lane you idiot.
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[gmanxiii]

text book:- indicate to show your intention to move into the middle lane, wait for someone to let you in, indicate and move into outside lane and overtake.

Or drop well back and let the 5 cars pass if you're boxed in. Then move out, hammer it and overtake the whole lot. One finger salute to all and then move back into the left lane.
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[mr jamez]

The worst part me me is near exits, you're riding along in the left hand lane taking a breather when suddenly a BMW comes veering across all three lanes at terminal velocity trying to make the exit So lots of mirror checks and shoulder checks near them is good. I find the best way is to just stick it in the outside lane and watch out for police

Filtering on the motorway for me is rare, unless its going pretty slow say 40mph or I am in a daft mood.
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[Mudskipper]

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

Undertake on the hard shoulder.
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[mr jamez]

[LeeR]

Personally Shay I'd plan a bit further ahead and not let myself get boxed in. If you're uncomfortable with a situation do all you can to avoid getting into that situation. I personally feel in control when I've created my own space and can concentrate on my riding.

I also never used to like sitting in the outside lane, but if you're holding no one up don't worry about it, move over when it's safe and always keep an escape route open.

I recommend reading Not The Blue Book and Roadcraft for some "advanced" principles of motorway/multi-lane riding.
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[deanoet]

Forward planning?

If you can see you are coming up to a car to overtake and there are cars behind hogging the middle lane with the outside lane free then indicate and move into the middle lane
You are making progress, and the middle lane hoggers can as there is a third lane.


/Rant mode on

The ones that annoy me are the ones that hog the middle lane as you are passing cars they drive right up behind you and sit there with the outside lane free
That really pisses me off. in fact i make a point of slowing right down to the speed of the car on the inside lane just to piss them off. need one of those signs in the back window that you can program.

On a bike it still pees me off, but i am the crumple zone, so i just let it go and accelerate away and tuck back in or drop in and let them passed. Not gonna get run over cos some t**t in a rep mobile needs to learn where his indicators are so he can change lane. Not that it stops them round town, in fact round town they can change lanes fine, still no indication though
Be fun to approach one in a service station in full bike gear though and question their driving technique...
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[Mudskipper]

[D O G]

I will bet my ass that it was just south of Winchester as you go up the hill at Twyford Down - between junction 10 and 11.

I swear to god that is the the worst section of any motorway for middle lane driving I have ever encountered.

How do I deal with it?

In your situation I would have got far over to the left of lane one, and undertaken all of the fuckers. They never move anyway, so I believe the risk is very small.

If I find a gimp sitting in the middle lane when I'm approaching in lane one, it's always one of two choices:
1. Undertake them, then give them the finger afterwards.
2. Main beam and horn on as you approach from them, see if they may move, if not then go to lane three, then cut the fucker up after you pass them at speed. Then give them the finger.

They will never learn, nor care, so treat them with the contempt they deserve.

[instigator]

I usually make a very quick left lane - middle lane - right lane-pass car-middle lane - left lane. I of course tend to either gesture to them to move over or I just cut them up, keeping my indicator on, hoping they will get the message. Usually works if I cut em up.

I note you've just passed your test...having rode all over the country, I'd have to say the worst I have ever been on before is easily the M8 stretch between Edinburgh and Glasgow at Rush Hour. I would rather ride on the M25 than that!

[stinkwheel]

In the situation you describe, it is a problem with you planning ahead. You really either need to be out and blowing past them before you get there or stick to the left hand lane.

It is tempting to nip up the left side, I think you're taking a risk on the approach to a junction, as you say, they could suddenly decide they want to occupy the bit of road you're on. If I was within the 1m signs, i'd just stay put.

So either get out sooner, pass fairly aggressively then get back in or stay put.

On a side not, don't be afraid to use the right hand lane. I'll quite happily sit in it for long periods if I'm making progress past the other traffic. Just make sure you keep an eye on your mirror so you don't impede following traffic and pull across to the left if you are no longer passing anything.

There again. You're being given advice from someone who got so impatient with someone in a BMW X5 hogging the fast lane the other day on the A1(M) that he overtook it...
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[stinkwheel]

[NSR Mick]

I cruise at an indicated 90 in the car and I just sail by up the inside of them.

It makes me laugh when they start blowing the horn and flashing their lights as if it's me in the wrong.
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[ms51ves3]

In the car my dad sits behind them flashing his lights until they move over

[thegubner]

[NSR Mick]

[Shay HTFC]

Would it be a death wish knocking on their window?

Before anyone grumbles, I wouldn't actually do it

Oh, and Damofo, it was between jctn 11 and 12 (I think? Between Eastleigh and Winchester South)

I was tempted to blast up hugging the white line of the hard shoulder, but just bumbled along at the same speed as them instead alongside the gap of 2 cars.
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[Seb]

Undertaking isn't an offense, just be ultra defensive if your within a mile or 2 of a junction. Giving hi beam the occasional flick wakes up middle lane sleepers nicely too.
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[Shay HTFC]

[stinkwheel]

[chris-red]

I tend to go for the gap, I sit in the outside lane if someone is behind me I move over if the left lane is clear I move over. If I come up behind someone in the outside lane depending what sort of day I'm having I'll either undertake or sit behind them and flash then undertake.
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[hmmmnz]

[Mister James]

I find that I'm something of a middle lane hog myself on the bike.

I don't see a huge problem - I don't want to cruise at 65mph like all the lorries did on the M1 yesterday, and in high winds and heavy traffic I don't see it as being particularly safe ducking in and out of the slow lane every 10 seconds. Overtaking is one of the most dangerous maneuvers you can carry out on the motorway, and carrying out dozens more than required is substantially increasing the risks associated with the journey.

I barreled along at 70-80mph, and tucked in whenever I considered myself to be blocking traffic more than was reasonable - although considering there was another lane available to overtake me, and I was traveling at the maximum speed limit at the very least, anyone who was finding me an impediment was obviously a fast middle lane hogger themselves!
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